Temperatures reach 33C as parts of England swelter in fourth summer heatwave - live updates

Summary

Parts of England are experiencing the fourth heatwave of the summer, with highs of 33C recorded
Amber and yellow heat health alerts are currently in force for all of England, with temperatures exceeding 30C in parts of southern Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland are generally cooler
In southern Europe, wildfires have been burning - parts of Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece are among those battling scorching temperatures
Climate change is making heatwaves both more frequent and more intense, our climate editor writes
Download the BBC Weather app for the forecast where you are, and get in touch to share your tips for coping with the hot weather

Live Reporting

Edited by Alex Smith and Emily Atkinson

Southern Europe in grip of heatwave with wildfires flaring across the continentpublished at 06:48 British Summer Time 12 August

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Nearly 700 firefighters have been tackling wildfires in Portugal since the weekend
The UK isn't alone in sizzling under a heatwave this week - parts of southern Europe are sweltering too as temperatures pass into the 40Cs.
In Italy, a young boy died of heatstroke on Monday, after being found unconscious in his family's car in Sardinia.
And across the country, 11 cities have been given a "level three" risk warning for today by the Italian health ministry. This means that in major cities like Bologna and Milan, "emergency conditions" are in place and residents are warned to avoid exposure to the sun between 11:00 and 18:00 - the hottest parts of the day.
Meanwhile in northern Spain, firefighters have been grappling with a fire near a Unesco-listed national park, with high temperatures and strong winds forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate.
Over the weekend, Trancoso in Portugal has also seen a huge blaze, with more than 650 firefighters and six aircraft tackling wildfires, according to AFP news agency.
Significant rise in the number of very hot dayspublished at 06:34 British Summer Time 12 August
Mark Poynting
Climate reporter

Image source, EPA
It can be easy to forget just how quickly the UK’s climate is changing.
Days exceeding 30C – known as “very hot” days by the Met Office - might feel normal, but they used to be much rarer.
During the last decade, the number of these “very hot” days more than trebled compared with the 1961-1990 average, according to the Met Office, external.
It’s well established that human-caused climate change is making hot weather more likely and more intense.
As humans burn coal, oil and gas and cut down forests, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere.
These gases act like a blanket, heating up the planet.
What the heat alerts mean and how long are they in place for?published at 06:29 British Summer Time 12 August

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued heat health warnings for all of England, which start from 09:00 BST today and are due to end at 18:00 on Wednesday.
Amber alerts for some:
Alerts in the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London and the South East have been upgraded to amber, from 09:00 BST today to 18:00 on Wednesday.
Yellow alerts for the rest:
The South West, Yorkshire and the Humber, North West and North East have yellow warnings in place over the same period.
The UKHSA has warned of significant impacts across health and social care services due to the high temperatures.
It also warns of the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among the over-65s and those with health conditions.
Highs of 34C predicted as the UK enters another hot periodpublished at 06:24 British Summer Time 12 August

Health alerts have been issued across large areas of England, as the UK braces for another sizzling week.
Highs of up to 34C are forecast for some parts, with most of the country due for temperatures of between 24 and 30C.
A patchwork of yellow and amber alerts has been issued, meaning possible travel disruption and increased demand on health services - but more on this shortly.
We will be keeping tabs on the latest temperatures and alerts across the day. Keep cool and stay with us.